Stena Line produces the definitive video guide to pet travel

15th Sep 2009

Stena Line, the leading ferry operator, is looking to woo pet owners with a
brand-new step-by-step video guide on how to safely take pets on holiday by
ferry to Holland, following a 13% year-on-year increase in the
transportation of travellers’ pets on its North Sea route.

The short guide which appears on Stena Line’s website explains the legal
and practical requirements of taking pets to Holland and then back into the
UK.

Featuring dog owner Jason Towler and his Jack Russell Eddie, the video
demystifies the government’s Pet Travel Scheme - or PETS for short - and
explains the five prerequisites of taking a pet to Holland. Defra developed
the scheme in 2000 to enable pets - specifically dogs, cats and ferrets -
to re-enter Britain without quarantine.

Lars Olsson, Stena Line’s commercial manager for travel on the North Sea,
said: “Having noted the increasing importance to our passengers of bringing
their pets, Stena Line recognised the need for a simple guide which
visually sets out the official governmental and logistical requirements of
taking a pet dog or cat abroad.”

Stena Line has always catered for pet owners, offering onboard kennels and
an area where the pets can walk. Its website also includes exclusive pet
travel tips by animal behaviour specialist Dr Roger Mugford.

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Olsson added: “We’re confident that the video format of the new guide and
its step-by-step depiction of the procedure will help pet owners who were
unsure of the process or even unaware of the possibility of taking pets to
the Netherlands, either by ferry or at all. We’re also aware that it’s the
required timeframe that confuses some pet owners, so we’ve made clear the
simple but necessary preparation and timings that avoids any problems upon
re-entry into the UK.”

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has simplified the
process within the past few years and promoted its PETS travel scheme this
summer. Stena Line’s guide aims to complement this and increase public
awareness, increasing the growing trend for pets crossing the North Sea for
a holiday.